Manufacturing steel.



CHARLES V.

Patented December 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

BURTON, OF FULHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM JOHNHARTLEY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MANUFACTURING STEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,281, dated December8, 1903- Application filed June 13, 1902. fierial No. 111,582. (Nospecimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES VANDELEUR BURTON, doctor of science, asubject of the King of England, residing at Ful-nam, in the 5 county ofLondon, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in orRelating to the Manufacture of Steel, of which the following is aspecification.

. This invention relates to the manufacture I of steel, and has for itsobject to effect the carbonization of the metal in a simple andefiectual manner. 1

According to this invention aoetylenegas is brought in contact with themetal at a high [5 temperature. The metal to be treated may be eitherwrought-iron or a comparatively low carbon steel, or cast-iron even maybe thus treated with the object of increasing the combined carboncontent.

One method of effecting the carbonization of a quantity of molten metalin a container is to blow the acetylene through suitable twyersorpassages into the metal, the amount of gas introduced being inaccordance with the extent of the carbonization required. In anopen-hearth steel furnace the acetylene can conveniently be passedthrough a swannecked pipe dipping into the metal. When a Bessemerconverter is employed, after the air-blow is completed acetylene isblown into the converter through the ordinaryair-passages or throughseparate twyers of like construction. If desired, the pressure due tothe generation of the acetylene may be utilized to drive the gas throughthe molten metal, this pressure being regulated as desired.

In some cases it may be desirable to purify the acetylene gas before itis brought into contact with the metal. This purification may beefiected in any convenient manner.

After the metal has been treated by the acetylene the waste gases,consisting mainly of hydrogenmixed with unaltered acetylene, may be usedeither for combustion purposes or carried off with a view to beingbroughtin contact with molten metal at an earlier stage, the arrangementbeing on a step-by-step system;

To prevent explosion, the acetylene gas should be diluted with a lessexplosive diluent, such as carbon monoxid, before being so blown through'the molten metal.

In carbonizing steel according to the abovedescribed method the amountof carbon to be introduced can be regulated with great nicety.

Theproduct of this manufacture may be utilized for tools or otherpurposes, or the very high-carbon steel may be mingled with lower-carbonsteel in proportions corresponding to the various grades required.

This process is equally applicable to the carbonization of specialsteels containing a moderate percentage of other metals-such, forexample, as nickel, chromium, or tungsten.

.What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is.

1. The herein-described process for the carburization of steel whichconsists in blowing acetylene diluted with a less explosive diluent gasthroughmolten metal.

2. The herein described process for the. manufacture of steel whichconsists in blowing acetylene diluted with a less explosive diluent gasthrough the molten metal and bringing the waste gases into contact withthe metal at an earlier stage of the process.

8. As a manufactured product steel which has been carburized by blowingacetylene-diluted with a less explosive diluent gas through the moltenmetal.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES v. BURTON.

Witnesses: W. J. NoRWooD,

T. J. OSMAN.

